Alice In Borderland: Riptide

EPISODE THREE: CARNIVAL OF SOULS

"Everyone gather round!" You clap your hands to get everyone's attention and wait for them to gather in a circle around you as you stand on a chair. "We need to decide if we're going to try to remain out of the games if at all possible, or to join them. Since the depend on facial recognition software, I think we'd be safe not joining at all. Like—ghosts in the machine, so to speak. But it might be good to have a few people in the games, to keep an eye on things..."

       "I want to play," Niragi says with a sneer. "Let me go—I'll get all the info you need."

       "Okay, fine. You go." Chishiya says in his soft, low voice, hands in pockets as always. "I vote to stay out.

       "Stay here then, you little chickenshi-"

       "Niragi!" You bark, pointing at him. "Need I remind you where you came from? How I found you? I didn't think so."

       You step down from the chair and approach him, drawing as close as possible and looking up slightly into his face, your gaze never wavering from his eyes as you search them. Suddenly you gather him into your arms with no warning, giving him no choice but to accept the embrace. Hesitantly, he slowly brings his arms up and returns your hug, resting his cheek atop your head.

       "Thank you," He says softly. You can feel his lips move against your head and his breath on his ear as he squeezes. "Sometimes I forget that I'm young, dumb, and broken."

       "We're all young, dumb, and broken," you tell him. "You're young, dumb, and broken with a short fuse."

       "But you're here to keep me sane? I mean—to keep us all sane. Of course." He releases you suddenly and withdraws, carding a long fingered hand through his hair.

       "Yeah," you agree. "Um. So..."

       "So...," he says. Leaving whatever he's thinking unsaid. "Heard from what's his name yet? Uhh..." —he snaps his fingers— "Chota? Right?"

       "Right. And no. But it should be soon. We only have..." —you check your watch— "fifteen minutes. Kuina? Keep an ear out, okay?"

       She nods and returns to the book in her hands from her seat atop the table.

       "Troublesome creature," Niragi mutters, glancing darkly in your direction.

       "Me or Kuina?" You chuckle, crossing your arms.

       "Yes," He responds as he settles against the wall.

       Suddenly the relative quiet of the murmuring crowd is broken by a text chime

       "It's Chota," Kuina says, staring at her phone. "he crossed the border from Tokyo into the countryside. They walked about 3 miles before the phone you gave him just... started to vanish. He says it crystallized. He put the sim into his personal phone though. Says it works exactly like the one from the Borderland." She pauses, glancing at you and then back to the screen. "He said they're safe and to check in five minutes after whatever is supposed to happen... happens."

       She glances up at you again and removes the cigarette from her mouth before stating, rather sarcastically, "He's realy got a way with words, y'know?"

       You nod, smiling. "Yeah. I do." She tosses a wink your way and you grin.

       "Okay, it's down to the wire," Chishiya says. "Everyone dummy up."

       There are scattered mutters and nervous chattering as the crowded people close in. You take a deep breath as you clasp hands with Karube and Usagi, the two closest to you. Niragi rests an arm over your shoulders and one over Chishiya's, while Kuina gathers close to Arisu on one side and a smallish, scare looking woman on her other. The circle tightens, everyone touching or holding hands. It reminds you of a sports huddle.